


Perseverance

by Tac



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: AYO READ THE TAGS PLEASE, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, But He Still Has Organs sooooooo, CLEAR #7 SPOILERS, Canon Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Just a Fun Headcannon I Thought Of, M/M, Major Character Injury, Multi, Thanatos Is Trying His Best, Thanatos Just Does Not Have a Heartbeat, Zagreus Cares More About His Appearnce when Hes Dying, Zagreus Needs a Break, like at all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:09:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27660488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tac/pseuds/Tac
Summary: CLEAR 7# SPOILERSAfter defeating his father for the eighth time, Zagreus's body merely decided that no, he will not visit his mother this time. But Thanatos convinces him otherwise.
Relationships: Implied Megera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 89





	Perseverance

**Author's Note:**

> It's the 7-month break then falling in love with this game and writing a fanfic about my favourite ship for meeeeeee-
> 
> I'm also open to criticism, I did my best to proofread this by myself. And if any of yall are comfortable with giving feedback, i'll be glad to hear it!

Zagreus watched as the Styx took his father back home, the king's body melting and shifting to red as he once again uttered a threat towards the prince. Zagreus simply watched as the last bits of his father's body seeped into the snowy ground. Only then did the boy notice his panting, the tiny puffs of his breath seeming obvious in Lady Demeter's chilling air.

Four times, and it took Zagerus four times to beat Hades again.

A small flash alerted the prince as he shifted his one eye towards the Titian's Blood, floating ominously as its red hue contrasted from the muddy snow. The prince moved as he ended up stumbling into it, feeling Malphon shudder at the touch as he fell to the cold ground with a cry. It burned, gods, why did his body burn? How many times has it been, the prince wonders, how many times-

**"Zagreus…"**

"Gahn-! "The prince sucked the chilly air through his teeth, doing his best to focus on the countless punctures that ripped through his body. Not wanting to remember what his mother told him last time they met… But alas.

**"I need to ask something of you. That you not visit me again, here in this place. Both for your safety, and for mine."**

The boy gave out, turning his body just enough so that he was facing up into the shifting purples and pinks of the sky. After everything, after everything, she just… It's not her fault; Zagreus knows her intentions are good, but that didn't mean it hurt, that it still hurt. At least the snow did wonders to cool down his body, even if it was painful. It was strange feeling the blood seep out of him, draining him of life much how the Styx called for him whenever he visited his mother…

Maybe she was right; perhaps it was for the best that he stopped doing this-

"N-nnnm- gah-hauh-!" The prince suddenly coughed, blood spewing out of his mouth as his words bubbled into one giant, incoherent mess.

Despite the pessimistic thoughts plaguing his mind, Zagreus refused to give in to the idea, yet it seemed that his body had lost any function. Every breath, every movement, even the soft breeze felt like needles on his skin. Every time he used up a death defiance, he always looked more worn out, more bruised, lightly maimed. He remembered the first time he defeated his father; he remembered seeing the bones of his knuckles, his fingers bending and folding in directions that definitely weren't normal when Malphon faded away. Zagreus didn't know why he hadn't screamed there, why he just huffed and bore the pain as he grabbed the Titans Blood and moved along. His only valid reasoning was Hypnos explaining how mortals experience something called: an "adrenaline rush," and for some reason, pain as they know it is muted, virtually eradicated from their minds for a short while. Did gods experience that too? Zagreus thought to himself, do they even feel pain the way Zagreus does? While the prince does everything to suppress the yelps and screams whenever he's hit, slashed, or burned. Everyone else merely seemed annoyed. Like it was quick and blunt instead of the slow, sharp, gut-ridden _ache_ that Zagreus feels every time. But yet again, he truly wasn't a god, just half of one. Maybe his mother's blood was the cause of it; that would explain plenty. And here he was: missing his left eye, fingers bruised and fractured. All the while as gashes, burns, and holes litter nearly every conspicuous part of his body thanks to his father's laser beams and spear.

_How did he even manage to produce laser beams?_

Zagreus barely noticed the sky flashing green; he didn't even comprehend the signature bell that he knew could only belong to one individual.

"You're still here?" The familiar voice was like silk on his skin, and if Zagerus could smile, he would, but he was in too much pain to even move his eyes.

Thanatos soon came into view. The space between his brows was creased as death incarnate grimaced at the disarray his lover was in. Zagreus could only watch with blurry eyes as Thanatos laid down his scythe out of view. No sooner than those yellow eyes shifted back towards the prince, Thanatos suddenly, yet gently came to kneel beside the prince, shifting Zagerus up to sit in his lap. The pain was searing as the shorter boy accidentally let out a harsh gasp, yet the relief was incredible. The prince was thankful for Thanatos' lack of warmth, physical warmth that is. It not only made the trips from Asphodel more bearable, but it always brought a sense of calmness over him no matter where he was. In this case, he couldn't ask for a better way to help cool his boiling blood. And as Zagerus' head began to clear, only then had he realized he hadn't used Mort to call for Thanatos again, not since the battle with his father… That means...

"Tuh-...Tha- g-ghyu _y-youu_..." Zagreus attempted speaking, but he only ended up doubling over in agony, grabbing at Thanatos' hood as the death god almost didn't feel the pull. Merely showing how utterly wrecked the prince was right now, and if Thanatos had a heartbeat, he was sure it would've stuttered.

Why did his sisters have to be so cruel? 

"Please, Zag, try not to strain yourself. You can hardly speak." Thanatos could only hold his dying lover close as the prince shuddered, simply exhaling an uneven breath. There is no way he could go to his mother looking like this, he hasn't even stepped through the gate, and he could barely stand! Curse him for not grabbing enough boons... Blood and darkness, his father was right; he wouldn't stand a chance against the king of the underworld without his extended family's help. He's relied on their support so much that the boy is practically useless without them; without Nyx, he probably would have never gotten out of here in the first place. Zagreus attempted to choke back a sob, which only resulted in him gurgling as he felt one of Thanatos' hands move up to rub the back of his neck. The prince couldn't bear to look anywhere else but the ground. Watching his blood disperse in the snow, he suddenly felt a wave of nausea take over him. He barely had time to cover his mouth, practically choking at the bitter copper that settled on his palate, as even more blood spilled through his mouth in tiny streams. 

Well, at least it's blood, and not _bile_ , to Zagerus, that would be more embarrassing. It was worse as it is to have Thanatos see him pathetically wither away.

"Zagreus, I think you should-" The prince swallowed, immediately followed by a noise of disgust as he regretted the action. Now he felt like hurling again, yet the shorter of the two decided that _n_ o, he wasn't going to start vomiting blood. Thanatos sighed as Zagerus put all his weight against the taller god. Death incarnate could already feel the warmth seeping out of the boy as his stiff posture began to relax. Thanatos let out a 'tch,' wanting to take a break from looking at Zagerus's beaten face. He has seen mortal bodies before; he's seen ones that were left unscared, ones that didn't even resemble a mortal, afterwards of tortures... And the latter of heinous deeds that were much, much worse than torture. He was used to seeing the aftermath of a death, yet he didn't know why seeing Zagerus slowly dying in his arms made his stomach do knots.

"If only I had another centaur heart on hand…" Thanatos muttered under his breath; he suddenly perked up as one of Zagerus's hands barely grazed his cheek. Thanatos quickly grabbed ahold of it as he looked down to see the prince offer a faint smile, and Thanatos couldn't help but smile back, their fingers intertwining like it was second nature for them.

"Let go, Zag. I'll see you at home, alright? For your own well-being." Zagreus' smile fell from his lips, and Thanatos wondered if he said anything wrong. But before he could ask Zagerus, the prince's hand went limp, his body slipping through Thanatos' arms. Death watched as Zagreus' body melted, turning into the Styx's memorizing red that Thanatos has inevitably come to admire.

And then he was gone.

And maybe it was for the best to talk to Zagerus back at the house. Where not a scar grazed his body, or he didn't look to be skinned from flesh to bone. Thanatos huffed; if he was quick enough, he could squeeze a few more shades in before heading back to the house. It usually took some time before Zagerus emerged from the Styx.

So until then… Until then, Thanatos decided to keep his thoughts to himself.


End file.
